Cycle controller



Oct. 21, 1941. A. F. SINCLAIR ETAL CYCLE CONTROLLER Filed Oct. 4, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.

ARCHIBALD F s lfi lt l Jol -gr; E. COLLINS FIG-8 Patented Oct. 21, 1941 UNITED STATES PATE T-OFFICE {8 CYCLE CONTROLLER Archibald F. Sinclair and John E. Collins, Akron, Ohio, assignors to The Sinclair-Collins Valve 00., Akron, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application October 4, 1939, Serial No. 297,886

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in time-cycle controllers of the type used to control repetitive processes.

One of the objects of th present invention is to provide improved control mechanism for a control member wherein cams are utilized in such a way as to provide snap action for movement of the control member in both on and off directions.

Another object of the present invention is to provide novel mechanism for controlling a member by means of the relative movement between two cam controlled levers.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved arrangement of adjustable cams combined with coacting followers and control mechanism for producing variable cycle control.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention and suitable structures embodying the same are disclosed in the accompanying specification and drawings and the essential features thereof are set forth in the claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a sectional elevational view on the line |-l, Fig. 2, illustrating one form of our improved control mechanism; Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view taken on approximately the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic arrangement of our improved control as applied to a press; Fig. 4 is an enlarged and somewhat diagrammatic view of a portion of the mechanism of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a similar view showing another position of the parts; Fig. 6 is a side elevational view showing a modified form of mechanism; while Figs. '7 and 8 are end views of parts shown in Fig. 6, Fig. 7 being a view from the left and Fig. 8 from the right, in Fig. 6.

Our improved cycle controller is adapted for use in many industries, but for convenience and in no sense of limitation we have illustrated but one use thereof. The drawings illustrate in Fig. 3 use of the device in connection with a press l0, such as is used in the rubber, plastic or other industries where material is placed between .platens or dies H which are squeezed together by a fluid pressure, such as a hydraulic, ram l2 supplied with pressure fluid through conduit I3 and controlledby one or more diaphragm valves l4. Each diaphragm valve is controlled from a pressure fluid supply I5, generally of compressed air, which passes through a pilot valve l6 and then through conduit I! to the diaphragm of the valve operating servo motor Ma. The cycle controller is housed in a casing l8 and the cams to shaft of the controller are rotated by a small electric motor (not shown) which is supplied from the lines l9.

One embodiment of our improved controller is shown in Figs. 1-5, which include the casing l8, the air pilot valve IS with its connecting conduits l5 and I! as previously described, and their controlling and operating parts. Shaft 20, which is the cam shaft previously referred to, is rotated by any power source, such as a small electric motor (not shown). The shaft 20 may carry any number, even 6, 8 or more of cams or sets of cams, depending upon the number of devices to be controlled and the number of operations of each during a complete cycle of operations of the machine. For example, one cam may control press closing movement, another. a mechanism for locking the press closed, another for applying low pressure to the platens, still another for applying high pressure, and so on. Each of these devices or steps in the cycle is individually controlled by some governing or pilot device (here typically illustrated as a valve) operated by one of the said cams or cam sets.

Our invention provides novel means for utilizing the cams on this shaft for controlling the pilot valves or devices Hi. It will be understood that an electrical switch or other control member may take theplace of the valve [6, as our improved control mechanism may be used with various types of control members.

In using cams and followers it is well known that a sudden action may be produced when'the follower drops off from a sharp shoulder of a cam travelling in one direction, but when it is desired to later raise the follower to a higher portion of the cam a sharp shoulder cannot be used but some sort of graduated lifting cam surface is necessary. Thus it has been possible to produce snap action where the follower drops, but impossible where the follower rises. If drop of the follower opens the valve it will open with snap action and close withfgraduated action, and vice versa. One of the advantages of the present invention is that a snap action may be produced when moving the control member in both directions, 1. e., both to its on and to its off position. In the device here shown, each follower is operated by the two cams of a set, or, to put it in another way, the cam for each follower is made in two parts, each of which We will here refer to as a cam. The two cams 2|, 22, are rigidly, but detachably and adjustably, secured 20, as by the clamping nuts 23,,and. by

varying the position of the cams around the shaft axis relative to each other, or of either to the shaft, changes in the control cycle may be produced. While the two cam parts could be formed as a single composite cam, we prefer 5 the type here shown, where the two cams are in the form of plates mounted side by side on the cam shaft with each plate controlling its own follower. For simplicity of illustration,- cams about the pin 30 and the arm 3'5 has its surface So that 1 2| and 22 are identical, but it'will be understood 1 that other types of cam may be used.

.Referring the cam 2|, it will be noted that it has the radially raised portions 21a andtheiradi; I

cam

ca "a.

la e; 1

The control or pilot member here shown is a combined inlet and exhaust valvefor controlling 2O airflowing-by way-of-con'duit !5 to the' diaphragni valvecontr'ol conduit 1, as previously-mentioned. Through the valve casing is formed anexhaust port 24. The exhaust valve lfia iscarried-on a valve stem lfib ext'ending outthroughthebottom 5.5

of the valve "casing.-- A nose lfic' on the upper end .of the exhaust valve is adapted to engage and liftthe separate inlet valve. Hid which-is nor.- mally biased to closedpdsition by a compression spring25 heldirrplace bythe cap.. 26. ,:It will g5,

be noted that -.the exhaust valve Him has adefinite limiting.positionvwhen against its seat .lfiei with the valve stem 16b in its luppermost position so as to admitairthrough.theinlet valvelto; pipe 11.. The operative connections between the earns 21 3,3,

and 22 .and themovable valveparts includelevers 21 and. 28.1-Leven21 .has-a-iU-shaped body: pro-.- vided with a bottom portion -29@'..and.side'. .cheeks 29 which straddle bracket members 3.1V depending fromthe .valve .casing,.in which members. the in lever is. pivoted .on a pin;30.e Thevalve. casing I6 is .rigidlymounted in anyesuitable manner-on the casing 18. 1A fulcrumconnectionis provided between levers 121.. and 28:.by .a.pin-,.3.2 ;WhiCh,iS

mounted in .the .two. cheeks 2 9,...suitable; spacers 33 being provided .to hold ;lever..28 .in prop er;.position relative to lever. 21. Levers 21 and Y28 have follower arm. portions; 21a. and, .2 8a, respectively, engaging andriding upon the cams. 2 Land 22, re.-

spectively. A tension::spring ,3.4 connected 'fb O'ja, 50

depending arm 34a.,, on leyerlfi. mai ta ns .ybO h followers in. engagement with .:.their cams 519, I1d. biases both levers 21 and ,28,to. move. in..:.& :clockwise direction asviewedin Figs.v 4;9 ,nd .5,; ,At' .its.

inner end lever, 28,. has anarm portion;3,5,; the 5 surface 35a of which liesbeneath valve stem-16b and is arcuate about the pin 30. 4 n v The construction described operatesas follows; Let us assume that the cycle of operations of the press shown in Fig. 3 is underlwayand that the particular device, such' as a.,.servo motor 14 controlled by the cams or cam seat "shown, has been energized, and that the parts'are in the positions shown inFig slfl, and 4; The'two'folw lowers 21a, 28a are I riding upon the elevated portions 21a, 22a of the two cams. The valve mechanism is-in' its ele vated po sition, with the exhaust valve closed and the inlet-valve-open, so thatpressure is'being M supplied' to-the servomotor 'l la'g The two iol: 7b

lowers are held against their cam surfaces? the single spring -34. In this position of the parts motion of thetwocam followers together produces "no. motio'nfof the valve parts; because-the two arms' 21, 28,- =when they move together, pivot turnwill cause turning movement of "Shan n t eir elevated "positions,

shown in.F.ig. .'7. These .iollowers arepreferably 35a curved about the axis of pin. 30. when the two followers 21a,.28a are atthe same level, whether they be both elevated or both depressed, the valve mechanism is in the on position.

Let us now assume that as the cams rotate in the clockwise direction, Fig. ,1,v follower 21a reaches and drops off .frorn 'a sharp shoulder 2|c of its cam, the follower 28a, howeverQbeing re- 'tained in its elevated position by continuation "or its elevated cam part 2211, so that the parts ".reach the position shown in Fig. 5. of .arm 21 has the effect of permitting the valve A lfparts tomove to their off position, as shown in 'jl 'ig', .5, with theinlet valve closed and the exhaust valveopen, because as follower 21a drops, the'lever 21 carries the pivot pin 32 downwardly,

Dropping turning arm 28 in a counter-clockwise direction,

Fig. 1, about a pivotal axis at the point where the follower; :2Ba rides upon the cam- .22. SoLJthat sudden drop :of thefollow er 251a, at a sharptshouh der, such as 210, without downward-imovementiof follower .i28a, producessnap operation .offithe ivalve parts to thelofi .position. -f n Let us now :assume that .with'the follower. 12.111 in its lowerpos'ition and follower: 2.8a-stil-l'in its upper position, as shown in Fig. 5., the iollower V 2.8a reaches and drops off from a sharp shoulder 220 of its cam 22; That motion isprodu'ced-by the .efiect of spring-34,i transmitted toileveri.-2-:8

and turning itaboutithenpivotal axis'.32,' z.-while 1 lever 21 remains stationary, and .the eifectiqipon the valve parts .is..to.;elevate. them'jandizretur them to the position shown in Fig. :Both followersare .nowl'in their depressed or lowermostpositions, but both, at the same level', andthe cams areprovidedwith agraduated portion, as at..-2l,d, by;means of which the lever2i1 is gradually elevated to itsuppermost position, carrying with it the lever .28 and;follower 128a. without Valve ,operation, forreasons ibeforetdee scribed, restoringthe parts to. their original positions, shown in Figs. 1 and'iready for; another valve, operation. vDuring both Operationsof {the valve, when it moves either toofi positionigonto onposition, the operation is by sn p aactionidue to.v the fact that themotion is efiected inqeach .case y the spring- 4 a d s t res tief new theother of; the followers -21a, 2 8a, dmpp ggpff from a sharp r abrupt-;sh ul e -:1.-. .A modified f orm of our-devicei shown in 6. la 8 h r ms Wan :3lrs fi-0Imfimcr t qnss m' a to th e f cams nal-Z antle s m n 1 ro a ab 1 amhai 10;: ss e o ie T e r r c l 's ef ma d follow r. 4 and 4| engage cams 36 and 31 respectivel guidedin a fixed bracket'42 and hayetheir .upper portions pivotally connected opposite endsoi an equalizer bar. '43 mountedbn one] end ofjlan es ipatable shaft connected 'byl'a universal Jo n 5, 10 a t T1 w ic sjos il a y m n a fixe snide: Ca r ed he shaft fifi is a suitable"pilot ideviceg 'shown' in and 46 so as to tilt the mercoid switch to one or the other of its positions shown in Fig. 8 to control the electric circuit which includes the switch. Of course, here, as in the form first described, snap action may be secured in both directions. When both followers are at the same level, either up or down, the switch is in one position, say open. When one follower alone is dropped, say 38, the switch is closed.

The control mechanism is of simple form and produces snap action in both directions by the use of mechanism capable of adaptation and adjustment to any control cycle. Otheradvantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

What we claim is:

1. In a time-cycle controller, a control member, cam means having two cam tracks, a follower engaging each track, each track having a substantially radially inclined portion providing instantaneous drop of its follower as it travels along said track, and an operative connection between said followers and said member for producing actuating movement of said member by relative motion between said followers during operation thereof.

2. In a controller of the class described, a control member, rotatable cam means having two cam. tracks with portions thereof spaced at radially different distances from the axis of rotation of the cam means, followers movable relative to each other during operation and engageable with said tracks and movable thereby, each track having a substantially radially inclined portion providing instantaneous drop of its follower as it travels along said track, and an operative connection between said followers and said member for causing movement of said member.

3. In a time-cycle controller, a control member, a rotatable shaft, a pair of cams having substantially radial drops thereon mounted side by side on said shaft and rotatably adjustable relative to each other, said cams having portions varying in radial position, a follower engaging each cam, and an operative connection between said followers and said member for producing actuating movement of said member by relative motion between said followers radially of said cams whereby instantaneous changes of position of said control member may be obtained.

4. In a time-cycle controller, a control member having at least two controlling positions and at least one of which is definitely limited, cam means having two cam tracks, said cam tracks having substantially radial drops thereon, a follower engaging each track, an operative connection between said followers and said member so arranged that when said followers are in predetermined relation to each other said member is held thereby in said definitely limited position, and said operative connection including means for causing movement of said member to another 7 position by relative movement between said followers during operation thereof so as to vary said predetermined relation.

5. In a time-cycle controller, a control member, two levers, one having a fulcrum on the other, and spaced from the ends of said other lever, one of said levers having a fixed pivot, one of said levers having an operative connection with said member, and cam means for controlling the position of said levers relative to each other.

6. In a time-cycle controller, a control member, cam means having two cam tracks adjustable relative to each other, a follower engaging each track, an equalizer bar, said followers having operative connections with opposite ends of said bar, a shaft connected with said bar for oscillation by tilting of said bar, a connection between said shaft and control member for actuating the 1 later by oscillation of said shaft, and said cam 

